Mehanga pada methi..

When I was in Delhi last month I saw these big hoardings...written "mahengi pade congress" it was the election campaign of the opposition party, meaning electing congress the previous term has cost the public alot...that line was quit catchy whoever coined it...coming to my methi story...I like methi, its a good substitute to "hawai maton" and my fren "A" taught me this really good methi leaves and mattar kangsoi dish... which is yummy and truly heathly....I had learned this another methi leaves, garlic,groundnut and green chillies maharastrain dish...one maharashtrian dish I could never forget...its a dry subzi and one of the most yummiest dish I've ever had in life....I liked it so much that I sat with one village women in her kitchen )when I was in Tuljapur) and learned it...that was one dish I had very often when methi was not a luxury....here in Agartala its a luxury...I bought methi leaves worth 40 bucks to make this dish and viola....I still can make the yummiest methi-groundnut subzi...I was damnn happy with myself and yeah my memory for remembering the method...sabash..

Pan ga khajing ga thongba(Colocasia tuber cooked with shrimps & fermented soya beans)

Pan as in arabi in hindi(Colocasia tuber) can be cooked in many ways...pan ironba...pan thongba and various other dishes but this one is my fav. my fren "A" who is a champ cook makes this really well and I learned it from her. This one is cooked with smoked shrimps(fresh water shrimps) which is quite expensive in Manipur but cheaper in Tripura. I used the fried version and its as good as the smoked one.

Ingredients:

• 200 gms pan/colocasia tuber
• 8-10 green chillies
• 2 inch long ginger
• 1 onion
• 4-5 spring onion
• Ngari
• 50 gms khajing(shrimps)

Method:

• Peel the pan and cut into round slices, ensure that its nit very thick. Slit the chillies and chop the onions.
• Take a pressure cooker and add abt 2 cups of water, turmeric powder, some ngari,and all the ingredients.
• Pressure cook upto 3 whistle (max)
• Once it cools down, cook on medium flame and add shrimps and salt.
• Cook for 10 mins on medium flame and serve with rice.
  

Nga toina thongba

This is one manipuri dish I really like and love to cook, I do not have to fry the fish and I put loads of my fav.veggies cauliflower tops the list, here's the recipe to try and relish
Ingredients:
-6 pieces fish (rohu)
-1 medium size cauliflower.
-100 gms peas.
-8-10 chillies.
-2 medium size potato
-2 inch long ginger.
-8-10 cloves garlic.
-One onion
-8-10 spring onion
-2 tomato's
-Coriander leaves for garnishing.
Method:
-Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for 30 mins.
-Chop all the veggies. make cubes of potato
-In a kadhai take 3 tbsp of mustard oil and frythe garlic.
-Once it turns golden brown add the chopped onion and green chillies.
-Add the potato's and fry on medium flame. Cover it for 5 mins & stir it in bwt.
-Add the cauliflower, tomato,spring onion and add turmeric powder. Keep the kadhai covered and cook for 10-15 mins.
-Add the marinated fish (add 1 tbsp of oil) mic it well and cook it covered.
-Stir it once every 5 mins and cook on low flame.
-Add about 2 cups of hot water.
-Once done add salt and garnish with coriander leaves... another yummy manipuri dish is ready

Spanish omelet- My style

I've very limited knowledge abt spanish cushine...whatever I knw is wat I've learned from TV...my fav travel & living channel...I saw this programme on spanish cushine and was really facinated with the spanish omelet...it has loads of potatos and onion and looks yummm...m sure it must be more yummy that it looks...in my attempts to be a better cook I tried my own recipe a new version of spanish omlet using both potato' and onions but I used mashed potato's (aloo chokha)...
-Break 2 eggs and add abt 3 tbsp of mashed potato, chopped onion, green chilles and salt to taste.
-Mix the ingredients well and fry...m sure you will love to have it everyday for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner...trust me its very yummy...

Chef ?????ban sakti thi...ya hun abhi bhi

My love for cooking is not very old compared to my undying love for having good food...I discovered I love to cook and cook well when I was in college...5 yrs of hostel life taught me quite many tricks and ways to make food taste better...like how to make a simple do minute maggi taste like...waooooo....how to make real yummy fried rice out of the hostel rice...fish curry from the fried fish served once a week. I discovered my talent best when I was in charge of food committee at "Mosiac" our annual Northeast festival at TISS....during my post-grads ....yaar khana bahut sahi banaya tha, my fren "A" who is a hardcore cook and me took full control of DH kitchen and what yummy dishes we cooked...kobi singju....nga toina thongba...hei (fruit) thongba, mairen champhut etc etc aur bahut kuch banaya tha abhi yaad nahi hai.
Kabhi kabhi lagta hai mujhe chef banna chahyeh tha...well I had the option of becoming a chef...after +2 I got through the hotel managment school ....but delhi and MH seemed more hype & cooler during that time...not that I regret joining MH ...I loved every moment of it....wat fun we had...chef toh mei abhi bhi ban sakti hun.....lekin ghar mei...lol

Recipe-Mixed vegetable

Mixed vegetable my style:

The above pics. looks very yummy hai nah...lekin jitna yummy dikhta hai usse bhi jyada yummy hai yeh...sachi...my boss feels I am the Manipuri version of Kylie Kwong...I think she was just trying to be good to me....but I was mighty happy with the comments...meh and Kylie Kwong waooo...mera sapna pura hogaya...hehehe jokes apart this mixed vegetable is tried, tested, liked by all my frens/family and now my boss...so here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
-One medium size Phul gobi (kobi lei in Meiteilon)
-2 Gajjar
-200 gms peas.
-2 medium size potato.
-2 tomato's.
- 100 gm French beans.
-4-5 green chillies
-Coriander leaves.
-3-4 Spring onion.
-one small size garlic.
-1 medium size onion
-1/2 tbsp Turmeric.
-Red chillies powder for color.
-Salt to taste
Method:
-Chop all the veggies and remember to make big pieces of Phul Gobi.
-Take a non stick pan, add 1& 1/2 tbsp refined oil.
-Add the chopped garlic and fry till it turns light brown.
-Add the chopped onion and fry for 3-4 mins.
-Add the slit and chopped green chillies.
-Add the potato cubes and stir it well. Cover the pan and cook on medium flame for 8-10 mins.
-Add the peas,gajar,chopped tomato & french beans, stir it well and cover the pan.
-Add the cauliflower after 5 mins.
-After cooking for 10-15 mins add turmeric and chillie powder.
-Cook till the potato is done.
-Add salt and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with chapati/rice.